Polyphase relay



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March l 1927.

POLYPHASE RELAY Filed March y24 1924 zum@ llfu INVENTOR @www ATToRNEx` Patented. Mar. 1, 1927.

vuNlriazrD vs.'riiri=.s PATENT. oFFlcE.

yJOHN CQLVIN MCDONALD, F NEW remi, is. Y., onnarirrin TOVWILLKIAM NoRMAN wEs'rERLUNn, or New Yoan'. n. Y.; aan TWENTY-six PER GENT 'ro-y EDWARD L. commu, or NEW Yoran, N.

I Application filed March 24, 19%. Serial No. '261349.

This invention relates to polyphase relays. The relay herein described is shown but ynot claimed in my application Serial No. 633,555,

filed YAprilrQO, 1923', fory polyphase electrical .i control system. f

The object of' my present invention is to producea polphase relay in which elect-ric f contacts when made are automatically and mechanically retainedin contacting position during any desired interval, either'momentarily or for many consecutive hours, and untilV aireversal of the phase; the relay being non-consumptive of electric energy during Y .such interval.

r .freely rockable in either direction, clockwise or counter-clockwise.

The relay electrode 2 and the thereto opposed, insulated stop 3 are n both stationary. By my improvement, I mount in fixed relation. to said rocker shaft, a tube 4 above and transversely of the rocker shaft; Vthe tube projecting beyond each side of the rocker shaft. This tube is provided with a therein freelyrollable ball 5 serving as a weight. Eachopposite end portion of the tube is connected by an upstanding bracket 6 with each of two segmental vanes or armatures 7 which are spaced apart on *the'rocker shaft and are here shown dependent therefrom in a. well-known manner. An upper, end member 8 of each bracket extends through an end portion of the tube to keep the ball weight in the tube between the endV members 8 of the bracket; each such end member being spaced apart from the rocker lshaft-'so that the ball weight may roll to one or the other side of the rocker shaft, according to the inclination given to the tube by a rocking movement of the rocher shaft.

One end ofthe rocker shaft is provided with a thereon'v iiXed, and insulated, U- shaped, upstanding switch one arm 9 of which constitutes an electrode and another arm 10 which constitutes a stop arm. Alead 11 is in electrical connection with said stop 3 and another lead 12 is in electrical connection with said'stop 3 from which the lead 12 extends to and is in electrical connectionk at 12'L with t-he switch arm 9. There is no electric current through the stop 'arm 3 and the arm 10 when they are in contactbecause they are at the same potential. The U-shaped switch is insulated from the rocker shaft'at 15 andis secured to said insulation by a screw 16. A lead 1T is in electrical connection with said electrode which forms a contact for the switch arm 9. The leads 11l and 17 vare parts of a circuit exterior to the relay, thejlead or conductor 11 being the feedlin conductor andthe lead or conductor 17 being the conductor for outgoing current. The relay itself is energizable by the polyphase current fed in through the electrodes F, as usual. A clamp screw 13 holds to the relay frame opposite insulation 'blocks 19 vwhich c'a'rrythe electrode 2 andthe stop 3.

Vtheneverthe rocker shaftis rocked in one direction during operation of 'the Irelay` the weigh-t carrying 'tube is tilted downwardly in the downwardly rocking directidn of the movement of the rocher shaft and tlie ball rolls in the tube to the depressed end portion of the latter and functions as a weight to hold the contacted members on that side of the reiay in contacted position until a reversal of the phase in the relay. On suoli reversal, the rocker shaft is rocked in a counter direction, the tube being correspondingly tilted and the ball rolling to the other end of the tube beyond the axis of the rocker shaft and holding the contacted members ou that side in contacting position until a reversal of the phase. The phase reversals act through the field magnets of said armatures to effect a rocking in reverse directions of the armatures and the conse-- quent rocking of the rocker shaft and movement of the weight carrying tube iiXe'd to the armatures.

In relays such as described, in said patents, and in relays purporting to be manufactured under said patents, the rocher shaft is provided with a coil spring one end of which is connected to the rocker shaft and the other end of which is connected to a stationary frame part. In the present improved relay, neither the spring or any equivalent thereof is used and by the omission of such a mechanical restraint on the rocking movement of the rocker shaft, such shaft is freely and unrestrainedly rockable either clockwise or counter-clockwise, as may be required.

Relays embodying this invention are useful for positively holding the electric contacts engaged in electrically functioning positions for such lengths of time as may be desired and for positively holding the engageable, electric contacts out of electric connection, as a consequence of phase reversal, for such lengths of time as may be desired. The relay `frame is partially indicated by A.. Said U-shaped switch, the electrode 2 and the stop 3 are preferably carried in a container 8 which 'lorms a part of the relay easing, being carried by the casing member A. The container, when and if used, may be supplied with oil whereby the electrode and the stop may be submerged, when and if desired. l/Vhen an end of the weight carrying tube is tilted downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, to bring the switch arm 9 into contact with the stationary, relay conductor 2, as shown in Fig. 4:, the weight 5 rolls to the down-tilted end portion of tube. Such down tilting movement of the tube is effected by a momentary phase on the vanes or armature plates 7 in one phase direction; but as such phase is merely momentary, the down-tilted end ot' the tube with its weight serves to hold the switch arm 9 in electric contact with the relay electrode 2 after the down-tilting phase energy has expired and during any length of time between the exertion of that phase and a reversal of the phase for breaking said contact and for rocking the switch arm 9 away from the electrode 2 and moving the switch arm l() against its stop 3. During such interval between exerted phases in the reverse directions, no polyphase current is supplied to or required in the relay through its intake electrodes F. Marked economy of expense for polyphase current results. During said interval, the current is through the in-feed lead or conductor ll to the switch arm 9, through the latter to the relay electrode 2 and thence through the line or outgoing current conductor 17.

lWhat I claim is:

A. polyphase relay comprising polyphase actuator, an unrestrainedly rockable shaitt member controlled by said polyphase actuator, a circuit closer operated by said shatt member, said polyphase actuator including a pair of bridge members adjacent opposite ends thereof, a tubular member carried by said polyphase actuator, said tubular member being supported with respect to said polyphase actuator by means which close the ends of said tubular member, a rolling weight located within said tubular member and having a. free path of gravitation toward either ot said supporting means upon reversal ot phase sequence with respect to said polyphase actuator for eifecting an opening or closing of said circuit closer.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 10th day of March A. D. 1924.

JOHN COLIN MGDONALD. 

